Just my opinion, and this is no reflection on Ertz's skills which may be spectacular, but the Stanford offensive system is a tight end stat machine, and I tend to discount a tight end's production if he comes from Stanford. I think Coby Fleener proved that this year, playing second fiddle to Dwayne Allen in Indy after putting up stupid stats at Stanford.

Very true, but that said, Stanford coaches thought that Ertz was better than Fleener hands down (and I agree with them). I didn't watch the Colts much last year, but Fleener is kind of a H-back/WR hybrid- his lack of production might be the coaching staff struggling to find the right role for him. Plus he was a rookie, so who knows.

Ertz is one of my favorite players, but if I could play the Huskies homer card just once, it would be to trade up in 2014 for Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Russell Wilson can sweet talk all he wants- he probably won't get Tony Gonzalez to come here. How about we draft the next Tony Gonzalez instead?

kearly wrote:Very true, but that said, Stanford coaches thought that Ertz was better than Fleener hands down (and I agree with them). I didn't watch the Colts much last year, but Fleener is kind of a H-back/WR hybrid- his lack of production might be the coaching staff struggling to find the right role for him. Plus he was a rookie, so who knows.

Ertz is one of my favorite players, but if I could play the Huskies homer card just once, it would be to trade up in 2014 for Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Russell Wilson can sweet talk all he wants- he probably won't get Tony Gonzalez to come here. How about we draft the next Tony Gonzalez instead?

I would love to get Austin Seferian-Jenkins next draft. Obviously its way premature, but where do you project him to go st this time?

kearly wrote:Very true, but that said, Stanford coaches thought that Ertz was better than Fleener hands down (and I agree with them). I didn't watch the Colts much last year, but Fleener is kind of a H-back/WR hybrid- his lack of production might be the coaching staff struggling to find the right role for him. Plus he was a rookie, so who knows.

Ertz is one of my favorite players, but if I could play the Huskies homer card just once, it would be to trade up in 2014 for Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Russell Wilson can sweet talk all he wants- he probably won't get Tony Gonzalez to come here. How about we draft the next Tony Gonzalez instead?

Well. Dwayne Allen was a rookie too.

I like Ertz too, I just don't like using stats as my reason for liking a guy. I do think Ertz is better than Fleener too.

I don't like using stats as an evaluation tool in general. Terrance Williams led all of college football with 1832 receiving yards last year. I still wouldn't touch him with a 10 foot pole.

Sometimes you see players that struggle that also post poor stats, and sometimes you see great players with great stats, but if the stats don't match the eyeball test, then they aren't worth paying attention too. Way too much variance in college football for stats to mean much.

I like Ertz and it has nothing to do with his stats. I am starting to cool on him slightly- only because I think he's more of an H-back with plus blocking (by H-back standards) than a true Zach Miller type.

I don't think we would go tight end round 1 but I could see us drafting Gavin Escobar in the second round so we can get a big target for Wilson, and to get another good tight end because of how many 2 tight end sets we run.

Ertz is on a different level to Fleener... he's incredibly fluid running routes. Stanford just lined him up everywhere... split out wide, slot, deep routes... everything. He's an underrated blocker for his size but has the frame of a possession receiver. His big play against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl showed he can get downfield and in behind a defense. Plus he's extremely reliable.

Watch the Stanford offense without him next year, because it'll be noticeable. Fleener benefited from Andrew Luck, but Ertz remained productive with two much weaker quarterbacks last year for a reason -- and it wasn't the scheme. He helped out his quarterbacks big time in 2012. If he's there at #25, I wouldn't hesitate drafting him.

I think he would be a GREAT pick. He is a prototypical do it all tight end and would provide a great target for Wilson. He absolutely has to be one of the guys who would be under heavy consideration at 25 if he is still available.